Parenthood doesn't come with a comprehensive manual — if it did, it would surely include many essential tips to make your job easier while improving your children's lives. One important fact that surprises many people is the age you should take your child to the dentist for their first dental appointment. The reason that the age one dental visit is so important is that it establishes the foundation of oral healthcare for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, some parents wrongly assume that because primary teeth “fall out anyway,” they do not need to worry about them. Nothing could be further from the truth!
One problem children may face is Early Childhood Caries (ECC) tooth decay. This is a type of tooth decay that occurs from sucking on a bottle filled with sugary liquids such as formula, juices and fruity drinks for extended periods of time and from a sleep-time bottle. ECC can affect all the primary (baby) teeth in infants soon after they come into the mouth.
Bringing your child into our office for their age one dental visit enables us to establish a friendly and trusting relationship with the whole family while we assess your child's oral health. During this consultation we will identify if the teeth and jaws are developing correctly, whether habits such as sucking on baby bottles are causing tooth decay or if there are other underlying issues that may indicate future problems. And this effort of prevention often enables us to stop an anticipated problem before it even starts.